Miral is continuing its digital transformation project with Microsoft, which is designed to create a ‘seamlessly connected destination of world-class theme parks and attractions’ on Yas Island. Phase one of the project ran from July 2017 to May 2018, and saw the development of web portals and mobile apps that connect attractions and offers customers “wall-less” experiences.

According to a statement, Miral’s multichannel customer experience platform will be built using Microsoft Azure’s PaaS capabilities, which provides the flexibility, scalability and agility required to ensure timely completion against tight deadlines.

“Our vision is to transform Yas Island into a globally recognised, wall-less destination, increasing annual footfall to 48m visitors by 2022, and this digital transformation project is part of delivering on our promise and achieving our vision,” said Engineer Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral.

Azure Identity will be at the core of ‘Yas ID’, a single login solution that will allow Miral to remain connected to guests across digital touch points, the company said. Additionally, Azure’s Data and Analytics Platform and predictive intelligence tools will be leveraged to combine customer data, which will allow employees to deliver higher-value customer interactions. The solution will incorporate the already-running platform developed in phase one of the project.

“Creating personalised seamless experiences by harmoniously bridging the gap between physical and digital was our main priority. The goal was to allow visitors to plan their journey before they arrive, tailor their experiences to their desires and continue to revisit their memories as they leave Yas Island. We selected Microsoft as our trusted technology partner because we have strong confidence in their solutions as well as their in-depth global experience in similar industries, which will help us achieve the sought results,” added Al Zaabi.

Miral notes that the digital transformation will also evolve its sales and marketing functions by modernising its B2C, B2B, e-commerce, websites and mobile platforms to run on Microsoft Dynamics 365. Social-listening capabilities will be used to monitor visitor sentiment, brand presence, and campaigns.

“Digital transformation is all about engaging customers, empowering employees, optimising operations and reinventing business models,” said Sayed Hashish, regional general manager, Microsoft Gulf. “Through the power and security of the Microsoft Cloud, Miral will be able to use Yas ID and predictive intelligence to tailor physical and digital visitor experiences. Employees, through real-time 360 customer views, will be able to personalise content, communication and marketing. The actionable insights generated by the intelligent cloud will accelerate Miral’s business responsiveness to changing expectations in the marketplace. And, by keeping customers connected to brands before, during and after their visits, Miral will differentiate itself and set new best-practice standards for the entire industry.”